Series “The on-site report from the world” (The 14th installment): Aiming for zero accidents with forklift

I visited a manufacturer in Vienna, well known as the city of music. Here they produce aesthetically appealing shipping cartons using high-end 4 color process flexography printing machines.

As I walked around the factory, blue colored lights caught my attention. Light bulbs were attached to the back of the forklifts. They were shining light on the floor to make the operators aware of forklifts approaching. (See the picture below.)

This idea came from the fact that the operators tended to look down while working. Therefore, they didn’t have to lift their heads to be alerted. “We’ve found it very effective,” a production manager added.

In Japan we introduced an innovative system called “IC Alert” into the packaging industry. If someone comes near the forklift, an audible alarm and visible red flashing light is set off at the forklift truck to alert the driver. The system is an efficient way to protect people from forklift collisions.

The warehouse who initially introduced the system has reported that they have not had any potentially serious forklift accidents. Strictly following the in-house traffic rules has helped the warehouse to realize “zero accidents”.

If you have new staff who have little or no experience in factory or warehouse operations, a safety measure such as “IC Alert” is a must for them.